Bib pocket running shirt with side pockets

ABSTRACT

A running shirt with a bib pocket and additional pockets constructed on the front of the shirt for use in distance races. The bib pocket has a sheer material front so the identifying number printed on the race bib can easily be seen. The runner simply slides the bib into the pocket and closes the pocket with a zipper in order to hold the bib in place during a race.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/328,372 filed on Apr. 27, 2016.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in shirts worn by runnersduring distance races.

BACKGROUND

Today when a runner gets in line before a distance race, such as amarathon, he or she is handed a bib, with an identifying number, andfour safety pins. The bib is then pinned to the running shirt whichcauses the runner to have to poke holes in his or her shirt or otherclothing. Runners often need to keep some personal property with themwhile they run such as a car key, money, registration paper, driver'slicense, or credit card, and really have nowhere to put these items.Runners have actually poked through their skin with the pins trying tosecure the bib. Runners also complain that the bib gets caught onobstacles when running in races such as mud runs or runs with obstaclesinvolved, when snagged it will pull their clothes and the bib getspulled away from the pins leaving them blowing in the wind. When the bibblows around it makes it difficult for a photographer to get the runnerspicture with their bib number, and it is a distraction to the runner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention the solution to the problem describedabove is a shirt with a bib holder, and with pockets built into theshirt, which does not exist in the market today. The runner simplyslides the bib into position and zippers the pocket closed. There are nopins involved and the number can't get caught on any obstacles duringthe run. The side pockets can also be used to hold a key, money, papers,or the like. A zipper closes the pocket so that the runner has no chanceof losing the bib while running. The side pockets are also zipper closedso that a driver's license, credit card, and the like are safe andsecure while running. The built in bib holder may have an opening at thebottom in the event the runner has to remove the “tear away” label atthe bottom of the bib. In that embodiment of the invention, the runnersimply reaches in and gives it a tug to remove the bib through theopening, although not all races use this pull off tag section. The shirtalso has a pocket or pockets stitched into the shirt or the sleeve ofthe shirt also for holding small items, such as cash or a key.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will become more readily apparent from the followingdescription of preferred embodiments thereof shown, by way of exampleonly, in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of the shirt as in one aspect of thisinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the article of manufacture that iscovered by this application. According to the present invention, asleeveless running shirt (or singlet) 100 has a bib holder (or pocket)101 that has approximate dimensions of 10 inches wide by 8 inches highand a border 102 that is approximately ½ inch wide. The running shirtcan be a T shirt with sleeves, or of the racerback style (or singlet) asshown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 (a racerback shirt for awoman runner). Styles of shirts covered by this application includeT-shirts, tank top shirts, sleeveless shirts, and racerbacks, withoutany limitation as to the style of shirt to which this invention mayapply. Bib 106 with identifying number 42663 as shown in FIG. 1 isslidably positioned in said holder 101 and said holder is closed byzipper 104. The transparent front 105 of the holder 101 is made oforganza or tulle material or the like that allows the number of the bib106 to be visible (as number 42663 is visible in FIG. 1). The built inbib holder 101 may also have an opening at the bottom (not shown) in theevent the runner has to remove the “tear away” label at the bottom ofthe bib, in which case the runner simply reaches in and give it a tug toremove the label, although not all races use this pull off tag section(which opening is closed with a zipper that is similar to zipper 104, orin another embodiment, can be closed with snaps to allow for rapidextrication of the bib at the finish line). The shirt in FIG. 1 also hasone or more side pockets 107 stitched into the side (or into the sleevefor sleeved shirts) also for holding small items, such as cash or a key,which pockets are closed by zippers 110 and have borders 109 that areapproximately ½ inch wide. Said pockets 107 are on the order of 4½inches wide by 3½ inches high. Said side pockets have faces 111 made ofsolid material, such as the same material used to make the shirt 100.FIG. 1 also shows the location for a logo 112 and for care instructions113 on said shirt 100.

In another embodiment, a runners shirt 100 with a unitary bib holder(and pocket) 101 on the front of the shirt is constructed so that theholder 100 has a sheer material front 105 so the bib numbers can easilybe seen through the sheer material front. The runner would simply unzipthe solid material front and slide the bib into the pocket and zipperthe pocket closed. The shirt can also be used for non-race/marathonrunning using the bib pocket 101 to hold cellphone or gloves, forexample, while at the gym or on a walk. Optional side pockets 107 canalso act as compartments to hold such small items as mentioned above.

As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the drawing shown andthe manufacture as described herein represent only one embodiment of theinvention covered hereby and this application does not limit the breadthof the invention covered hereby to such embodiment or drawing.

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of manufacture comprising: asleeveless shirt; a pocket constructed on the front of said shirt havinga transparent front piece; and a zipper constructed on the top of saidpocket, whereby said pocket is constructed to hold in place a distancerace bib having a race number that identifies the wearer of the shirt asa participant in said race, which pocket can be closed by said zipper inorder to secure said bib in said pocket and which number can be seenthrough the transparent front of said pocket.
 2. The article ofmanufacture of claim 1 further comprising; a second pocket sewn into theside of said shirt; and a second zipper constructed on the top of saidpocket; whereby said second pocket can be closed by said zipper in orderto secure the articles placed into said second pocket during said race.3. The article of manufacture of claim 1 or claim 2 in which saidtransparent front piece is made from one of the materials in the groupconsisting of organza and tulle material.
 4. An article of manufacturecomprising: a race shirt; a pocket constructed on the front of saidshirt having a transparent front piece; and a zipper constructed on thetop of said pocket, whereby said pocket is constructed to hold in placea distance race bib having a race number that identifies the wearer ofthe shirt as a participant in said race, which pocket can be closed bysaid zipper in order to secure said bib in said pocket and which numbercan be seen through the transparent front of said pocket.
 5. The articleof manufacture of claim 4 further comprising; a second pocket sewn intothe side of said shirt; and a second zipper constructed on the top ofsaid pocket; whereby said second pocket can be closed by said zipper inorder to secure the articles placed into said second pocket during saidrace.
 6. The article of manufacture of claim 4 or claim 5 in which saidtransparent front piece is made from one of the materials in the groupconsisting of organza and tulle material.
 7. In a distance race runningshirt, the improvement comprising: a pocket constructed on the front ofsaid shirt having a transparent front piece; and a zipper constructed onthe top of said pocket, whereby said pocket is constructed to hold inplace a distance race bib having a race number that identifies thewearer of the shirt as a participant in said race, which pocket can beclosed by said zipper in order to secure said bib in said pocket andwhich number can be seen through the transparent front of said pocket.8. The improvement of claim 7 further comprising; a second pocket sewninto the side of said shirt; and a second zipper constructed on the topof said pocket; whereby said second pocket can be closed by said zipperin order to secure the articles placed into said second pocket duringsaid race.
 9. The improvement of claim 7 in which the bottom of saidpocket further comprises a zippered opening whereby a removable sectionof said race bib can be extricated from said pocket.
 10. The improvementof claim 7, claim 8, or claim 9 in which said transparent front piece ismade from one of the materials in the group consisting of organza andtulle material.